The invention relates to improvements in a known type of car carrier, namely, a two-car carrier having a rear tilting and sliding bed for one car and a forward above-cab tilting platform for a second car.
In the prior art, separate winches have been provided for the two beds or platforms of the carrier truck at the forward ends of the platforms. These separate winches are employed to draw automobiles up onto the carrier platforms and to lower them and also for lashing the vehicle down during transport.
The placement of the winch for the above-cab platform at the forward end of such platform causes some serious difficulties which the present invention seeks to completely eliminate by placing the winch at the rear of the above-cab platform and providing a cable guide sheave at its front.
The most serious difficulty with the prior art arrangement is that the cable fleet angle becomes too large and the cable lead distance too small as the car being loaded approaches its full up transport position on the above-cab platform. This results in dangerous pile-up of the cable on the winch drum, uneven layering of the cable and fraying. Additionally, the bulky winch mechanism when at the front of the platform somewhat interferes with the truck driver's view, increases the overall length of the truck, and sometimes produces soiling of the truck windshield due to oil leaking from the winch being blown back onto the windshield in transit. All of these drawbacks are eliminated by placing the winch at the rear end of the above-cab tilting platform immediately rearwardly of the truck cab.
An additional important benefit is derived from the relocation of the winch, namely, a reduction in car loading time, due to the fact that the winch is closer to the operator's control panel at the rear of the truck. Because of this, it is no longer necessary for the operator to walk to the front of the truck in order to initially release the cable end for connection with a vehicle being loaded.
In accordance with the invention, a constant fleet angle and lead length for the winch cable between the forward guide sheave and rear winch drum is maintained, regardless of the position of the vehicle being loaded, and smooth and proper layering of the cable onto the winch drum without fraying and dangerous uneven pile-up is assured at all times. These advantages are also obtained when the winch, in accordance with the invention, is located rearwardly of the guide sheave on any tiltable platform a distance which assures a proper fleet angle for the cable relative to the winch drum.
Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent during the course of the following detailed description.